SOUTH SHORE INSIDER: Braintree print shop adds a new dimension

In the last few years, 3-D printing has grown from an intriguing luxury to an relatively low-cost way to produce solid prototype parts and models. Braintree Printing is embracing the promise of this technology.

By Dan Schneider

The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA

By Dan Schneider

Posted May. 15, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 15, 2013 at 3:03 PM

By Dan Schneider

Posted May. 15, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 15, 2013 at 3:03 PM

BRAINTREE

» Social News

When you walk through the front door of Braintree Printing and turn to the left, you’ll come face-to-face with what looks like a slim, empty vending machine. But this machine doesn’t spit out Doritos or Snickers, it’s the company’s new 3-D printer.

In the last few years, 3-D printing has grown from an intriguing luxury to an relatively low-cost way to produce solid prototype parts and models. For Jim Corliss, co-owner of Braintree Printing, it presents an exciting new opportunity and a brand-new way to think about what “printing” can mean.

How, in a nutshell, does 3-D printing actually work?

This is called additive technology, as opposed to subtractive technology, where you start with a block of something, and the machine chips away part of it, leaving the model.

It starts by spraying a layer of melted plastic, and you build up the item from there. There’s no waste involved, it just builds the piece from scratch. This machine, which is made by Stratasys, uses something called ABS plastic, a sort of hard plastic.

Some of the higher-end machines do things like build at a higher resolution. The highest resolution this machine will print at is 10 one-thousandths of an inch. But if you get a higher-resolution machine, the build line is less visible, and the piece can be a bit stronger. And you can build pieces that are a lot larger.

How have you made use of your 3-D printer so far?

This is a production machine, but it’s an entry-level production machine.

We have a group of clients for it. There’s one company which makes a use-specific battery, and it’s kind of flat and curved. Before they have them manufactured, they want it prototyped to make sure it meets all of their needs. We’ve produced the case for them four or five times.

We also tested it out with some open-source designs from the Web. We made ball bearings, a couple of toy items, a dinosaur and a chess set.

How are you training your staff to use the equipment?

The learning curve for 3-D printing was surprisingly low. For my people, there’s no mystery to it. Yes, it prints in layers and levels, but to them it’s just another printer.

This doesn’t exactly fit into your typical line of work, does it?

We’re a trade printer. Most of our clients are trade printers, brokers and resellers. Probably 80 percent of what we print is not being sold to the end user, it’s being sold to a reseller.

We do a lot of book work, fliers, some signage and mailing pieces. It’s mostly marketing- and training-related.

Page 2 of 2 - This a totally separate thing. (3-D printing) is not really printing as we see it, so much as it’s a manufacturing-prototyping process. So with this, we’re dealing with a different group of people – designers and engineers instead of (public relations) and (human resources) people.